Divination (Spells and Sins)

Chapter 24

Chapter

Twenty-Four

"Even the smallest spark can set the darkest night ablaze."

Lunara

“ E lysia?” I looked all around the portal, sensing her in the vicinity. “I can feel you nearby.”

“Lunara?” She jumped out from behind a nearby maple tree and ran into my open arms, tackling me to the ground. “You came back!”

“Oof!” I wheezed out a laugh while the portal’s last bits of light began to fade. “Of course I came back. I couldn’t leave the other half of my heart a world away.”

Her lips collided with mine, pure joy radiating throughout my whole body.

When she slowly eased away, a small smile crept up my face. “If this is the welcome I get every time I go to Faerie, I might have to escape more often.”

Elysia rolled off me, eyes wide. “Don’t you dare.”

We both rose and brushed off the leaves while bits of dirt still clung to our clothes.

Elysia warily looked around, running her hands up and down her arms. “Did—didn’t you break the curse?”

“The Elders did, but we have to—” My words drifted away as Elysia reached for my face.

Extending a tentative hand toward me, she plucked something from my hair. “You have a twig.” She held it out between us before tossing it over our shoulder.

I stared into her eyes, feeling as though we’d been apart for centuries when it had been mere minutes.

“I’m sorry.” Elysia’s cheeks flushed as she smiled. “You were saying.”

I was so enamored by her that I almost forgot the shards of crystals tucked in my coat pocket. “In order to break the curse, we have to work together.”

“You mean, it’s not over?” Color seeped from her face.

“Calm down.” I placed my hands on her cheeks, pressing my forehead against hers. “We just have to plant these crystals in the earth beneath the portal so that the human realm is safe.”

A soft laugh escaped with her next exhalation as her shoulders slowly relaxed. “Okay.”

Once I knelt down at the portal’s opening, I looked up at Elysia, still standing over me as she slowly blinked in wonder.

“You okay?” I asked, laying the crystals on the dirt before I reached for her.

Her mouth fell open, but it took her a moment before she finally spoke. “I didn’t think you were coming back. I mean, I knew you’d come back, but I was terrified that?—”

I took her hands in mine, gently running my thumbs along her knuckles. “I’m here.” Once she knelt beside me, I said, “And, I’m not going anywhere.”

She seemed to breathe a sigh of relief before picking up one of the crystals and clutching it in her fist. “So, if the orb didn’t break the curse, how can we be sure these crystals will?”

I dug into the dirt, creating a hole large enough to place the crystals. “Once these are buried beneath the surface, the shadows will be called to the in-between and then the portal will seal, keeping something like this from ever happening again.”

Elysia grabbed my hand, stopping me from placing the first crystal among the earth. “Seal the portal? That means…” Her mouth hung open as she studied my face. “If it’s sealed, you can’t go back.”

I nodded, reaching for another crystal then gently nestled it in its new resting place. “There’s no need for me to go back there.” Without looking her way, I grabbed another crystal, positioning it with the others. “Not anymore.”

“But it’s your home.” She held the last crystal in her palm.

I shook my head, gently reaching for the last crystal. “Not anymore.” As I placed one hand beneath hers, she opened her palm, and stared at the last item that would seal me in this world. “My home is here, now, Elysia.” With one hand, I retrieved the crystal while I swiped away a tear that threatened to fall down her face. “With you.” When more tears fell, I spluttered a pathetic, “Unless it’s too much too fast and then we can for —”

Elysia crashed into me again, knocking me against the dirt as she covered my mouth with hers, kissing me as if she feared it was our last.

When my cheeks grew damp, I gently eased her back and found her cheeks soaked with tears. “Hey, what’s all this?”

“You’d leave everything you know for me?” She swiped a clumsy hand at her tears.

I tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and smiled. “Of course.” My thumb caressed the shell of her ear. “You’re my family now.” When Elysia’s face seemed to sour, I added a wary, “Unless you’re worried your coven will never accept me.”

Elysia climbed off of me and knelt beside the hole in the ground, staring at the waiting crystals. “They’re not my coven anymore.”

“What do you mean?” I knew Morgana had betrayed her, but the other women were like her sisters. Surely she didn’t plan to give all of them up for me.

“When I told them what Morgana did, they didn’t believe me.” She stood from the ground and began pacing to and fro. “They listened to Morgana’s lies and I just couldn’t…” Her pacing stopped long enough to glance my way. “I couldn’t take their judgments over Morgana’s bullshit.”

As her tears began to flow again, I jumped from the ground. “Hey. It’s okay.” I pulled her close, stroking her back as I said, “We’re together and that’s what really matters.”

Stepping from my grasp, her eyes met mine and she gave a half-hearted smile. “You’re right.” She reached for my hand, lacing her fingers with mine. “All that matters is that we’re together.”

I squeezed our joined hands then knelt back to the ground, laying the final crystal with the others before shoveling the dirt over them with my hands. “It shouldn’t be long now.” Even as I said the words, I could feel the darkness lift.

The screams and shouts that came from all around suddenly quieted and the cold air turned warmer, calming its wild winds until it was little more than a rustle among the leaves.

I was just about to stand when the heap of dirt I’d poured over the crystals suddenly marbleized, encasing the crystals for all eternity.

Elysia stood beside me, glancing around the tree line. “I guess it’s over now.”

“I guess so.” I wrapped my arm around her waist and led her toward her cabin. “You feel like celebrating?” I wagged my brows at her and gave a mischievous grin, feeling lighter than I had since I arrived in the human realm.

“You’re incorrigible.” After swatting my chest, she took off at a run. “Last one to the cabin is a rotten egg.”

“Seriously?” I chased after her, laughing all the way until I caught up to Elysia at her front door.

Her keys scratched around the tumbler until they finally sank into the grooves. Once the deadbolt was tucked inside the door, Elysia pushed the door open and hurried inside.

I followed along behind her, tossing the door closed behind us before I descended on her like a starving lion pouncing on its next meal. “Why’d it take me so long to find you?” I pinned her against the door, running my fingers through her soft, brown hair.

“I don’t know.” Her hands flitted up my sides, tickling my ribcage as they ascended. “But I say we make up for lost time.”

My mouth collided with hers while my hands took on a life of their own, pawing at her clothing and gripping her flesh. I was just about to pull her shirt over her head when a knocked sounded on the door behind her. “Expecting someone?”

Her head shook before she peeled her back from the door and peered through the curtains to see who waited outside.

“Elysia! It’s Rowan and Cassia. We need to talk.”

I ran my hands over my clothes, trying to put everything back in place while Elysia’s hand rested on the doorknob.

“They’ve got the worst timing.” She took a deep breath then eased the door open, poking her head out just enough to ask, “What do you want?”

“Can we please come inside?” Cassia’s voice was still ripe with worry.

“Why? So you can tell me how foolish I’ve been for trusting Lunara?”

My brows inched up my forehead, gob smacked by Elysia’s newfound boldness.

“We’re sorry, Elysia.” It was Rowan who spoke this time. “After you left, Morgana went all crazy, screaming and throwing things and revealing a side of her we didn’t recognize. And then, in an instant, she just stopped.”

“Please, Elysia. Can we talk about this inside?” Cassia’s pleading made me smile, if only infinitesimally.

Elysia stepped back, letting the door swing open before she waved the women inside.

I retreated, doing my best to be invisible, but when Rowan caught sight of me, she froze. “I didn’t realize you were back.”

“I’m sure you wish I weren’t.” Even in all of my resentment, I didn’t want to cause more friction for Elysia. “I’ll just let you ladies chat.”

“No, wait,” Rowan called. “We owe you an apology.”

I turned around in time to see Elysia standing with hands on hips as she said, “I’ll say.”

Cassia stepped in front of Rowan, shielding her from Elysia’s wrath. “Look, we deserve your anger and a lot more, but?—”

“But you finally realized that Morgana had fooled you all into believing Lunara was dangerous when in reality, she saved us?” Elysia removed her hands from her hips then crossed her arms over her chest while she stared down her nose at her friends.

“You’re right.” Rowan stepped forward, inching closer to Elysia. “You’ve been right about Lunara all along, but it took the curse being broken for us to realize that Morgana was nothing more than some vile monster.”

“Glad you came to your senses,” Elysia said, and while she seemed happy with Rowan and Cassia’s confession, I needed more answers.

“Not so fast.” I made my way back to Elysia, standing at her side. “I’d like to know what brought about this sudden change of heart?”

Elysia angled her head, examining me, but not saying anything to the contrary.

“Maybe we should sit down.” Cassia’s suggestion was quickly followed by her and Rowan heading to the couch.

Elysia waited for me to object, but I held out my arm, signaling for her to join them in her small living space.

I took a seat beside her and waited with bated breath, leaning back in my chair and crossing my legs with just enough confidence to cause Rowan and Cassia to sit a little straighter.

It was Rowan who spoke first. “After you left, Morgana started screaming about how you’d ruined everything, giving Lunara the orb.” Her hands stayed clenched tightly in her lap while tension pulled at the edges of her face. “She started ranting about everything she’d worked for and how she was only trying to protect her family’s legacy.”

“It wasn’t until the curse was lifted that we all started to realize Morgana didn’t have the best of intentions,” Cassia interjected.

Rowan’s head fell a moment, but when she looked at Elysia again, there were tears in her eyes. “Morgana started speaking incantations and her magic seemed to grow with every passing second while she continued to curse your name.” She paused just long enough to run her hands back and forth across her thighs. “The whole house shook as her incantation came out faster and faster until everything just stopped.”

It was Cassia’s head that hung this time, her eyes trained on the floor in front of her.

“What do you mean, it just stopped?” While Elysia inched to the edge of her seat, I laid my hand on her thigh, trying to ease the tension that we both now felt thanks to our connection.

“Exactly that. All of the craziness outside, the rumbling of the house, Morgana’s incantations—it all just halted.” Rowan shivered then continued. “I thought Morgana had succeeded in cursing you until I saw her crumpled on the floor, crying.”

“What?” Elysia had inched so far off her chair that she nearly collapsed to the floor.

“Apparently, when the curse was broken, her—” She swallowed hard “—magic went with it.” As a pained expression grew on Rowan’s face, Cassia took over.

“When Morrigan stole the Starfire Orb, she tied her magic, and that of her ancestors to the artifact, forging powers stronger than any witch had ever achieved.” Cassia glanced at Rowan then looked at me. “You were supposed to solidify the curse so that Morgana would be all-powerful forever.”

“I guess that’s why she wanted me to stay out of it.” Elysia stood from the couch and walked across the room, staring out of her front window.

“Morgana’s powers are gone now, Elysia.” Rowan rose from the couch, testing her own legs before she sat back down again. “You and Lunara are safe now.”

Elysia spun around, her eyes wider than I’d ever seen them. “What about the Moonshadow Coven?”

Cassia shrugged. “All of the members are in agreement that our coven should continue without Morgana.”

“But who will be high priestess?” This appeared to be uncharted territory for all of the coven members, but Elysia seemed the most affected.

“We were hoping, since Morgana is gone, that you’d come back and lead us.” Rowan stood and joined Elysia at the window. “You are our wisest member.”

“High priestess?” The words were barely a whisper, but I knew that Elysia would have to think it over wholeheartedly before she decided. “I’m not sure.”

Cassia left the couch, joining Rowan and Elysia at the window. “Take some time to think it over.” She reached for Elysia’s hand and gave it a quick squeeze. “We’ll be waiting to hear what you decide.”

With that, Cassia and Rowan walked out leaving Elysia and I alone.

Elysia stayed by the window, watching until Cassia and Rowan left her driveway.

I finally walked over, wrapping my arms around her and resting my chin on her shoulder. “Sounds like you still have your coven, if you want it.” I kept my arms around her as she turned to face me.

“What I want…” She glided her hands up my sternum, ascending until she tapped the tip of my nose. “Is to do more of that magic melding you’re so good at.”

“Magic melding, huh?” I raised my arm, staring at my wrist as I said, “I’ll have to see if I have the time.”

Taking my hand, Elysia pulled me close and whispered against my lips. “It’ll be worth it.” Without another word, she took my hand and led me to her bedroom.